Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Two of those went towards this pretty little Brookstone boombox. I received it about a week ago and am pretty pleased with it. Up there its in iPad/iPod mode. Funnily enough this is also the only time I've ever docked my iPad on it. I don't like removing the case and my iPad is just an internet tablet. I've never even synched it to my real computer to trade pictures, music, stories, etc.

Here it is in radio mode (see the 97.1 in the top right corner?) The radio reception is the only thing I've been bummed about. First of all - I can't believe the antenna extends. I thought we got over that in 1995. The second sin is it inability to spin. The radio reception is pretty ... awful and seeing the antenna makes me want to fiddle with it for better reception but I can't.

Believe it or not that little $50 shower radio I bought about three years ago still receives the best reception of any radio in my home. Even crazier is that its still on its initial set of batteries! That radio gets listened to several times a day and when my mom is here for several hours but its never needed new batteries. Honestly, if you are still looking for a gift for someone order them this Sony radio. I got one for my fiance ages ago and he loves his too.

Getting back to the boombox. This is the back. As you can tell my shuffle and I are listening to Stephen King. The radio has a neat little remote control holder back here. I love uncluttered surfaces and hate walking to control electronics so its a win-win for me!

That first button switches the rechargable battery on. When its plugged in users can opt to recharge the battery for later boomboxxy goodness. If they don't want to they don't need to.

The port on the end is an audio out but I don't know why. If something has an audio out port (like my shuffle) wouldn't I just plug it into another speaker rather than run it through this? The only sound the boombox can produce on its own is FM radio and not very well so this port befuddles me.

but look at how tiny that remote is!

I wouldn't ever trust a kid to use this remote. They'd either lose it or snap it in half.

I'm disappointed by the poor radio reception but have my portable little Sony. I like the remote control. I don't have an iPhone or regular iPod so I can't vouch for its ipodability but my shuffle sounds great.

Is it worth $100? No way.

Is it worth the $21.65 I ended up paying after using my gift cards and Discover cashback?